A Brothers Bond

Chapter VIII

The trio had come to the bottom of a rocky mountain, the ground was loose under their boots, one false move and they would slide to the bottom. Both brothers keeping an eye on their sister helping her up the slope if she needed help, they paused half way up resting their weary legs, the boys were running dangerously low on water, and they hadn't eaten for days. Kili was the first to flag, and Esmerelda volunteered to search for food but it meant her returning to the bottom, but she didn't mind.

So she walked down in human, but once she hit the grass she turned into her horse and galloped to the forest as it was the fastest way to travel, the way Kili looked at her she knew he needed food and fast, Filis health was also beginning to deplete, their sister needed to be quick.

In the Blue Mountains, Thorin insisted they were still alive but Dis only disagreed and began on making the preparations for their memorial, she had one of the dwarves carve her a wooden bust of all three of them from the paintings she had of them, once they were finished they were put in the palace in the throne room which became the memorial room, and they each had candles put around them, the whole city grieved for their loss', but Thorin gazed out at the barren landscape and still had hope that they were still alive and knew they would return.

"I hope she hurries up soon, its getting dark" Kili said as he was laying down, they heard hooves and it was Esmerelda, she had a deer thrown over her back balancing there.

"Good work" Fili complimented her as she came trotting over nearly losing her footing, but Kili pulled on her mane and neck pulling her forward, she then turned into human and sat next to her brothers.

"Shot gun, not skinning or gutting the animal!" Kili exclaimed.

"Fine, I'll do it" Esmerelda whined and snatched the deer back and began to skin the animal. "But you're gutting the animal" She said pointing the knife at Fili.

"Fine" He agreed.

So she used the skin as a cloak for Kili, Fili gutted it and then they started a fire, Fili and Kili cooked the animal while Esmerelda was resting, unknown to the boys, Esmerelda wanted nothing more than to turn around and go home, but they were so close, the scent of cooked venison was in the air and they all ate it heartily, then they all relaxed around the fire and again began to reminisce about the memories when they were younger.

But Kili hit a sore point as he reminded Esmerelda of the time when she was insulted by the Dwarflings. "Do you remember when you were called a nag?" Kili said.

She suddenly sat up and glared at him, she then got up. "Where are you going?" Fili asked.

"I need somewhere to breathe and take a break from you guys" She answered.

So she stormed down the bottom of the mountain, her brothers worried about her constantly, but she found a river which she relaxed next to, but heard light footfalls coming towards her.

"Ruby!" A woman exclaimed.

She turned around and she was afraid. "Don't be afraid" She reassured Esmerelda. 

"Who are you?" She asked.

"Ruby, I am your mother do you remember, You're my daughter. I was collecting water with you and you wandered off in your horse form but when I turned around I couldn't see you anymore?" She quizzed her, walking towards her, but she backed off.

"You're not my mother, she abandoned me when I was only a fille" Esmerelda answered.

"Ruby!" She exclaimed.  "What happened to you? Look at you, you're covered in blood!" She added.

"I don't know you, Uncle Thorin warned me about strangers like you" She pined.

"Stranger. They've poisoned your mind! You're my daughter" She insisted.

"I don't know you" Esmerelda fretted and carried on to back off, tears beginning to dribble down her youthful cheeks, she left the woman calling her back and hurried back to her brothers, and Fili was on first watch, she approached the mountain, Fili hearing her sobs and as soon as she got there Fili wrapped her up in a hug.

"What's wrong?" He asked her. But she couldn't answer as the sadness was swelling in her throat immobilising her voice box. Fili tried the best he could to calm her down but no words were soothing her, so Fili woke Kili up with a soft nudge in his ribs and handed his sister over to him, to see if his words would have any effect on her.

"Sit down, now take a deep breath in and tell us what happened" Kili said sitting next to his sister and Fili sat on the other side of her. 

"My... my mother..." She trailed off in a fit of tears and sobs, Kili and Fili both exchanged glances, they didn't know what to do.

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